The First Cup: Yonkers FC wins in a ‘sea of mud’ as weather postpones six matches (Dec. 7, 1913)

Fulton AC of Brooklyn, NY, shown here during the 1913/14 season. Fulton competed in the New York State Amateur Football League’s second division.

TheCup.us introduces “The First Cup” series, which revisits the first running of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (then known as the National Challenge Cup) that took place from the fall of 1913 to the spring of 1914.Click here for the full series. Note: As you read this, you’ll notice a lot of players with just one name. This is not an oversight on our part, but rather, many of the sources of this information (newspapers, publications etc.) only use the last name of players in their stories.

Of the seven games scheduled for Dec. 7, 1913 in the second round of the National Challenge Cup, all but one was postponed due to severe weather in New York and New Jersey. The weather conditions were not suitable for the playing of good football, and the one game that was played took place on a field that was barely suitable.

New York Celtic vs. German FC, Clan MacKenzie vs. Columbia Oval, Brooklyn Celtic vs. Hollywood Inn, Babcock & Wilcox vs. Watessing, West Hudson Juniors vs. Alley Boys and the replay between Hudson United and St. George FC were all rescheduled for Dec. 14. The one game that managed to kick off was in Woodside, Long Island between Yonkers FC and Fulton AC from Brooklyn. The two teams played on a field that was described by the New York Tribune as a “sea of mud.” Spectators armed themselves with umbrellas and raincoats as they stood around the field in ankle deep mud to watch the contest. The game was between two clubs from the same league, but different levels of play. Yonkers competed in the New York State Amateur Football League’s first division, while Fulton played in the second division that season. Fulton came into the tournament as a bit of an underdog, as they were the only team in the competition that didn’t play in their home league’s top division.

The game had been under way only eight minutes when Pietrie kicked the mud-covered ball past Fulton goalkeeper McKillop fpr a 1-0 lead. As the heavy, misty rain continued, Pietrie struck again, this time helped by long passes and clever combination work. Fulton nearly cut the lead in half a few minutes later, but the waterlogged ball struck the crossbar and bounded back into play. As referee Hollywood sounded his whistle to end the half, six players were attempting to kick the ball out of a large puddle. Despite playing with just ten men the entire game, Fulton put up a hard fight in the second half, but the Yonkers defense was too much to overcome. Fifteen minutes after the start of the second half, F. McDonough’s shot from the left wing flew into the Fulton net to put the score at 3-0. 1913/14 National Challenge Cup – Second Round Dec. 7, 1913 Yonkers FC 3:0 Fulton AC Woodside, Long Island, New York